Honourable Doctor, Improper Arrangement. Mary Nichols

to the waiter to pay for the refreshment and asked him to send out for a cab to take them home.

      Hartingdon House was in Hanover Square and was a substantial mansion with a wide frontage. On the night of the ball every window was lit and lanterns were strung across the railings. The long line of carriages waiting to go up to the front door contained the cream of London society and people in the street stopped to stare and comment on the guests as they arrived and were admitted.

      Kate, with her father and grandmother, took over an hour to travel the short distance from Holles Street. They could have walked it in a quarter of the time, but that would not have been considered the thing and so they sat in their coach and waited, moving up a few yards at a time as each carriage disgorged its load, rattled away and the next one moved up. But at last they were making their way up the steps to the front door. The Reverend’s hat was taken from him and they moved towards the ground-floor ballroom, where they were announced by a liveried footman.

      The room was brilliantly lit and rather hot and airless. Kate stood and marvelled at the fine decorations, the gilding of the plasterwork, the painted ceiling, the swathes of greenery round every pillar, the huge bowls of flowers on stands in every niche, and the polished floor, already crowded with people dancing to the music of an orchestra sitting on a dais at the far end.

      ‘Come, let us find chairs,’ Lady Morland said, as the Reverend disappeared in the direction of the library where he planned to take advantage of the Earl’s large collection of books.

      They moved into the room just as Lady Eleanor spotted them and came forward to greet them. She was magnificently dressed in amber crepe with a head-dress of curling green feathers, which bobbed as she walked. Kate, whose own hair had been arranged à la grecque by Corinne, her grandmother’s maid, and threaded with ribbon, was fascinated by them and wondered if they would last the evening without drooping.

      ‘What a squeeze!’ Lady Morland said. ‘Eleanor, I fear you have overdone the invitations.’

      Lady Eleanor laughed. ‘But every one of them has paid fifty guineas for the privilege. If it becomes too crowded, we can open up the windows on to the terrace. I believe Dr Redfern has saved seats for you near one of the windows. I hope it will not be too draughty.’ She waved a hand in his direction.

      He had seen them and was coming towards them. He looked nothing like the man Kate had been working alongside all week. Gone was the brown-and-beige clothes, the untidy hair, the look of harassment, the worried frown. Here was a pink of the ton in a blue brocade coat, white pantaloon trousers, dark-blue satin waistcoat, frilled shirt whose cuffs fell over the backs of his hands, and a starched muslin neckcloth that was an art form in itself. He stopped and bowed. ‘Ladies, your obedient.’

      Kate bobbed a curtsy, almost open-mouthed in admiration, but managed to say, ‘Good evening, Doctor.’

      ‘May I escort you to seats? I am afraid it is a dreadful crush. We did not expect so many.’

      ‘But that is good thing, don’t you think?’ Kate said, putting her hand on the arm he offered, while her grandmother took the other. ‘All the more for the Society’s coffers. You will be able to do so much more for the children.’

      ‘We certainly hope so. Our aim is to buy land and build a new home designed for its purpose, but we are a long way short of our target.’

      ‘Then I wish you well of it.’

      They reached their seats. Lady Morland sat down immediately and began using her fan vigorously. Simon turned to Kate. ‘May I have the honour of a dance?’